Systems and methods for device configuration and activation with automated privacy law compliance

Abstract

A system and method for device configuration and activation with automated privacy law compliance is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a selection for a configuration path for a device is received during device initialization. The configuration path is either a simple path or a full path. In response to the selection for the simple path, a restricted device configuration is applied to allow restricted access to device applications and resources of the device. In response to the user selection for the full path, a privacy policy requirement is determined that is applicable to the device based on location information of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for providing privacy law compliance comprising:
 receiving a selection for a configuration path for a device during device initialization, wherein the configuration path is either a simple path or a full path;   in response to the selection for the simple path, applying a restricted device configuration to allow restricted access to device applications and resources of the device;   in response to the user selection for the full path, determining location information of the device and determining a privacy policy requirement applicable to the device based on the location information.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a privacy policy disclosure on a privacy module interface of the device based on the privacy policy requirement; and   acquiring via the privacy module interface compliance information with the privacy policy requirement.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 confirming whether the compliance information acquired via the privacy module interface meets the privacy policy requirement; and   applying an unrestricted device configuration to allow unrestricted access to the device applications and the resources of the device based on a confirmation that the compliance information meets the privacy policy requirement.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising defaulting to the simple path in the absence of a valid authorization for the full path. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising verifying authorization for configuring the device. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising receiving a credit card number that corresponds to a valid credit card account as the authorization to record a monetary transaction on the valid credit card account. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a physical location of the device using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver as the location information of the device. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the location information via a user interface. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that one or more provisions of the United States' Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) apply to use of the device if the location information indicates a location in the United States. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , further comprising providing COPPA-compliant privacy policy disclosures on the privacy module interface. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving a COPPA-compliant consent to one or more of collection, use, or disclosure of personal information regarding a minor user of the device. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the information acquired via the privacy module interface does not meet the privacy policy requirement, determining the configuration path to be the simple path. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method for providing privacy law compliance comprising:
 receiving a selection for a configuration path for configuring a device during device initialization;   determining location information of the device;   determining a privacy policy requirement applicable to the device based on the location information;   providing a privacy policy disclosure on a privacy module interface of the device based on the privacy policy requirement;   acquiring via the privacy module interface compliance information with the privacy policy requirement;   confirming whether the compliance information acquired via the privacy module interface meets the privacy policy requirement; and   applying an unrestricted device configuration to allow unrestricted access to the device applications and the resources of the device based on the confirmation that the compliance information meets the privacy policy requirement.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving a credit card number that corresponds to a valid credit card account as the authorization to record a monetary transaction on the valid credit card account. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining a physical location of the device using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver as the location information of the device. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining that one or more provisions of the United States' Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) apply to use of the device if the location information indicates a location in the United States. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to determining that the information acquired via the privacy module interface does not meet the privacy policy requirement, configuring the device in a simple path and applying a restricted device configuration to allow restricted access to device applications and resources of the device. 
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 a display configured to provide a user interface for configuring the device and a privacy module interface;   a processor;   a memory storing device applications and resources;   a privacy law analysis module; and   a device configuration module,   wherein the user interface provides a simple path and a full path as a configuration path for the device,   wherein in response to a selection for the simple path via the user interface, the device configuration module applies a restricted device configuration to the device to allow restricted access to device applications and resources stored on the memory,   wherein in response to a selection for the full path via the user interface, the device configuration module determines location information of the device, and   wherein the privacy module interface further determines a privacy policy requirement applicable to the device based on the location information.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the privacy module interface further provides a privacy policy disclosure based on the privacy policy requirement and acquires via the privacy module interface compliance information with the privacy policy requirement. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the device configuration module confirms whether the compliance information acquired via the privacy module interface meets the privacy policy requirement;
 and applies an unrestricted device configuration to allow unrestricted access to the device applications and the resources stored in the memory.   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device configuration module defaults the configuration path to the simple path in the absence of authorization for the full path. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to determine the location information of the device.